The European and Mediterranean
Plant Protection Organisation
a brief introduction
Martin Ward (Director General) - [email protected]
Presented by Hugh Evans, Member of EPPO
Forest Quarantine Panel
A Regional Plant Protection Organisation
recognised by FAO under the International
Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
1951 EPPO Convention – 15 countries
Now 50 member countries
Aims (Convention Article 1)
a. to support the Member Governments in their aim of assuring plant
health, while preserving human and animal health and the environment
b. to pursue and develop, by cooperation between the Member
Governments, the protection of plants and plant products against pests
and the prevention of their international spread and especially their
introduction into endangered areas
c. to develop internationally harmonized phytosanitary and other
official plant protection measures and, as appropriate, to elaborate
standards to that effect
d. to present the collective views of the Member Governments, as
appropriate, to FAO, WTO, other regional plant protection organizations
and any other bodies with related responsibilities.
Remit
• Plant quarantine
• Plant certification schemes
• Efficacy of plant protection products
• Invasive alien plants
• Biological control agents
by:
• Drafting and adoption of regional technical standards
• Sharing intelligence and expertise through networks
Organisation
EPPO Secretariat (14)
National Plant Protection Organisations
National Experts
Phytosanitary
Regulations Panels
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IPPC Affairs
Risks and Measures
Inspection Procedures
Diagnostics
Entomology
 Nematodes
 Bacteria
 Fungi
 Virology
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Forestry
Potatoes
Invasive Alien Plants
Biocontrol Agents
Plant Protection
Products Panels
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General Standards
Herbicides
Insecticides and
Fungicides
Resistance
Harmonisation of
Data Requirements
Expert Working Groups
• Mainly for Pest Risk Analyses (five per year)
• Experts nominated by countries, selected by EPPO
• Expenses paid from EPPO budget
• 2014 three EWGs related to tree pests:
PRA on Thousand Cankers Disease (walnut)
 PRA on Heterobasidion irregulare (pines)
 study on non-manufactured wood commodities (chips etc.)
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EPPO Forestry Panel
• Advises on forestry pests, including pest risk analyses
• Develops Standards:
PM8 Standards on commodity specific measures for
different genera of trees
 PM9 Standards on national regulatory control systems for
new pests
(e.g. Anoplophora glabripennis, Agrilus planipennis)
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• Reviews other draft Standards related to forestry
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(diagnostics, treatments, inspections)
Reviews the forestry pests on the EPPO Alert List
Some current activities …
Plant Protection Products
• Harmonisation of data packages for efficacy to enable
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mutual recognition of approvals between countries
Facilitation of EU zonal authorisation
Preparing to host “EU Minor Uses Co-ordination Facility”
EPPO Codes
• Codes for over 30,000 pests and 30,000 host plants
• Taxonomic structure
• 120,000 common names in > 20 languages
• Used (and originally developed) by pesticide industry
• Key to EPPO, EU, IPPC and national databases
• Now free to users
Horizon Scanning
• Seeing what is coming to prioritise
Research
 Surveillance
 Regulation
 Awareness raising
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• Reporting Service - monthly news of pests on the move
• Alert List of pests not yet regulated
• Advice to International Plant Sentinel Network
Pest Risk Assessment
• PRA Standards
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PM
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5/1 Checklist of Information Required for PRA
5/2 PRA on detecting a pest in an imported consignment
5/3 Decision Support Scheme for Quarantine Pests
5/5 Decisions Support Scheme for an Express PRA
5/6 Prioritisation Process for Invasive Alien Plants
5/7 Screening Process for Plants for Planting
• 5 PRAs per year
• Includes PRAs on pathways
Plants for planting (contributing to EU regime review)
 Tomato fruit
 Wood chips and wood waste (major issue of definitions!)
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• Result is recommendations to member countries
Diagnostics
• Getting accreditation right for plant health labs
• Including molecular methods in diagnostic protocols
• Linking EPPO with global work on diagnostic standards
• Database of diagnostic experts in the EPPO region
EPPO Reporting Service:
example of a first record
EPPO Reporting Service – Pests & Diseases
First record of Anoplophora glabripennis in the Netherlands
2010/200
The NPPO of the Netherlands recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the first record of Anoplophora
glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae – EPPO A1 List) on its territory. On 2010-11-16, the identity of the pest
was confirmed on the basis of analysis of wing covers and DNA analysis of larval remains which had been found in
1 tree in a lane of Acer pseudoplatanus in the municipality of Almere. In total 16 exit holes and 3 larvae were
detected in one tree. Observations indicated that some exit holes had been formed recently, whereas others
were estimated to be at least three years old. The exact age of exit holes is still to be determined. Signs of the
presence of A. glabripennis have also been detected on 6 adjacent trees in a lane of A. pseudoplatanus trees.
These trees are located in an industrial area of Almere and were planted approximately ten years ago. In this
area there are no tree nurseries and only a limited number of public or private gardens, but a nature
conservation area is situated within the surveillance area of 1 kilometre radius around the infested site. It is
considered that the most likely source of the outbreak is wood packaging material from Asia because there are
several companies importing goods from Asia in the vicinity. Investigations are being carried out to identify the
possible source of this infestation. The following phytosanitary measures aiming at a prompt eradication of A.
glabripennis are being taken and include the following:
1) Destruction of all symptomatic trees, as well as all deciduous trees and shrubs (with a diameter of 2.5 cm
or more) located within a range of 100 m from the infested trees. Each individual plant will be dissected and
analysed by the national reference laboratory for any signs of the pest. It is envisaged to finalize tree
destruction by January 2011.
2) Restrictions on the movement of host plant material (with a diameter of more than 2.5 cm) within a range
of 500 m around the infested trees. This material should be officially reported and destroyed according to
official procedures.
3) Specific surveillance (also involving specialized tree climbers) will be carried out on an annual basis within a
radius of 1 000 m around the affected trees for at least the next four years.
The pest status of Anoplophora glabripennis in the Netherlands is officially declared as: Transient – Isolated
outbreak, actionable, under eradication.
Source:
Additional key words: new record
NPPO of the Netherlands (2010-11).
Computer codes: ANOLGL, NL
Information Services
• EPPO Bulletin
• New “EPPO Global Database” combining
• Data sheets
• Risk assessments
• Maps
• Pictures
Contingency Planning
• Standard on “Generic Elements for Contingency Plans”
• EPPO Inspectors Workshop – Kew, November 2014
• Exercising of contingency plans
• Encourage learning from others’ experience
• Potential database of eradication expertise?
Euphresco (Plant Health Research Co-ordination)
• Started as an EU supported ERA-net in 2006
• Now a self sustaining network funded by partners
• Hosted by EPPO
• 29 partners from 22 countries, including 16 NPPOs
• c. 1.2M€ available for projects in 2015
• 30 topics likely to be funded in 2015
• Continuing role in providing advice on research
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priorities to EU Chief Plant Health Officers
Interest in joining, including from outside the region
(US, Canada, South America)
Euphresco Network in 2014
Thank you!